How To: Secure Broadcast PR Opportunities

by Joel Voigt Noble

When a business needs to convey its message to a wide audience, broadcast coverage is often seen as the Holy Grail. However, for the average company, broadcast opportunities are notoriously difficult to secure. 

We at Flame PR understand the challenges and the ways in which to overcome perceived barriers. We have a unique insight into securing broadcast coverage, due to the agency being founded by Kully Dhadda, a former BBC journalist. 

We believe that sharing is caring, and so have pulled together a few tips on how to improve your business’s chance of securing that sought-after broadcast coverage: 

1. Know the media landscape – It might sound obvious, but it’s crucial to understand the purpose and logistics of each TV or radio show. For example, what type of stories does each show cover, what time does the show air? Having this kind of knowledge will allow you to forward-plan and have confidence when pitching your story to producers. 
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2. Be patient – Securing a broadcast opportunity requires time and patience. It can take days, weeks, and even months of planning, along with carefully considered communication to attract the attention of major broadcast outlets. To fast track the process, it is recommended that you partner with a PR agency that has proven experience of securing high quality broadcast opportunities.             
        
3. The biggest challenge a media relations team faces is to capture a broadcast journalist’s attention early on. Producers are often busy, so your pitch must be concise and easy to understand. Make sure you are prepared with answers to any questions they might ask – for example, ‘Who can I speak to?’ and ‘What else can I film?’ If you do send an email, keep it brief and explain who is available for interview, their expertise, and location. 
   
   
4. Move the story forward - If the story has already been covered on air or by the papers, it’s important to propose a new angle to producers by moving the story forward. By doing so, you’ll be offering something new and exciting, helping you to secure your desired broadcast coverage. 
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5. Stay in touch - PR is all about creating and building relationships. Once you have secured an interview, stay in touch with the producer. They often require guests at the last minute, and are usually more than happy to have your spokesperson in the studio again.